Recent Public Posts - [guest]
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [369741/29726/18] Posted by grahame at 19:29, 18th December 2025 |      |
17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06
17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06 will be terminated at Westbury.
It will no longer call at Dilton Marsh, Warminster and Salisbury.
This is due to heavy rain flooding the railway.
17:50 Gloucester to Salisbury due 20:06 will be terminated at Westbury.
It will no longer call at Dilton Marsh, Warminster and Salisbury.
This is due to heavy rain flooding the railway.
| Re: King Charles pours 'perfect pint' at new Guinness brewery in London - Dec 2025 In "Introductions and chat" [369740/31289/1] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 18:54, 18th December 2025 | |
Done.
| MOVED: King Charles pours 'perfect pint' at new Guinness brewery in London - Dec 2025 In "The West - but NOT trains in the West" [369739/31290/31] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 18:53, 18th December 2025 | |
This topic has been moved to Introductions and chat.
https://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=31289.0
| Re: King Charles pours 'perfect pint' at new Guinness brewery in London - Dec 2025 In "Introductions and chat" [369738/31289/1] Posted by ChrisB at 18:39, 18th December 2025 | |
Chat, surely? Is there a transport element in this story? Hardly 'The West' either?
| King Charles pours 'perfect pint' at new Guinness brewery in London - Dec 2025 In "Introductions and chat" [369737/31289/1] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 18:38, 18th December 2025 | |
From the BBC:
King Charles successfully poured a "perfect" pint of Guinness on a Christmas visit to a new brewery in London's Covent Garden, where he tasted his pint-pulling efforts.
This was his first public visit since the King's video message revealing "good news" about the positive progress of his cancer treatment - and he seemed to be really enjoying the moment.
The King surprised some shoppers outside the event, wishing them a "Merry Christmas" and shaking hands in an impromptu walkabout in the rain. The King, who seemed in festive form, joked with carol singers that they must be "moonlighting from the Royal Opera House" and teased reporters that they were not getting to test the drinks on display.
The King was opening the Guinness Open Gate Brewery, a £73m investment which will be a new London visitor attraction as well as producing a range of beers.
There was a lesson in how to pour a pint, with the King shown how to tilt the glass to 45 degrees, and then to leave it to settle for between 60 to 70 seconds, which he was told allowed 300 million bubbles to rise inside the glass.
It was not clear who had ever counted them, but the King was ready to raise a glass to Christmas and perhaps, he might have been thinking about "good health" in a more personal way. His pint-pulling trainer, Leo Ravina, said he had poured a "perfect pint".
"If you say so," replied the King, who wiped away a foamy Guinness moustache.
The King seemed less convinced by another piece of hi-tech boozing, where he was shown how an image could be printed, using beetroot or carrot juice, on to the beer's surface. Although as monarch, he had to avoid sharing his point (or in this case pint) of view.
There was also no mention of the social media fad of "splitting the G", where drinkers try to reach a certain point on a pint glass. But the King seemed to enjoy some of the less usual beers on offer, including one with an apricot flavour. This tasting session was in the 232 Bar, named after the temperature at which the barley is roasted to get the distinctive flavour.
(BBC article continues)
| Re: Tyne and Wear Metro - merged posts, ongoing developments and discussion In "The Wider Picture in the United Kingdom" [369736/29662/51] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 17:54, 18th December 2025 | |
From the BBC:
Metro head promises 'world-class transport system'
The boss of the Tyne and Wear Metro has promised to deliver a "world-class transport system" one year after the first of a fleet of new trains entered service.
So far 23 of the 46-strong fleet have become operational, with the rest of the Swiss-built trains expected to enter service in 2026. The new trains have experienced teething problems, including a faulty door and leaking air-conditioning that led to some being temporarily withdrawn.
Metro operator Nexus managing director Cathy Massarella said she hoped older rolling stock would be completely replaced by next summer, saying: "We're in the hardest stage of this project at the minute, where we're managing old trains, bringing in new trains."
Ms Massarella insisted the introduction of the new trains had been a success, despite the problems. She said: "As we bring them on, as our technicians and our drivers get more and more familiar with them, reliability will improve and it will be the best our customers have known for many, many years."
But she also warned plans to upgrade the Metro's outdated signalling system were also vital to the network's future. "We need to replace this signalling system by 2030 to avoid being in the same situation that we've been in with the fleet where it was allowed to get so old it really affected our reliability."
Alistair Ford, of the North East Public Transport Users Group, said the Metro still needed to rebuild the confidence of travellers unhappy with cancellations and delays, caused in part by older, more unreliable trains. "The system really wasn't something that people could rely on to get to work on time, to get to school, to get to hospital appointments," he said. "So the new trains we hope will really start to bring back that reliability." But he said the new trains had been a "great development for passengers".
"They're much smoother, they're much more efficient and much more accessible for wheelchair users and people with luggage and bikes."
The boss of the Tyne and Wear Metro has promised to deliver a "world-class transport system" one year after the first of a fleet of new trains entered service.
So far 23 of the 46-strong fleet have become operational, with the rest of the Swiss-built trains expected to enter service in 2026. The new trains have experienced teething problems, including a faulty door and leaking air-conditioning that led to some being temporarily withdrawn.
Metro operator Nexus managing director Cathy Massarella said she hoped older rolling stock would be completely replaced by next summer, saying: "We're in the hardest stage of this project at the minute, where we're managing old trains, bringing in new trains."
Ms Massarella insisted the introduction of the new trains had been a success, despite the problems. She said: "As we bring them on, as our technicians and our drivers get more and more familiar with them, reliability will improve and it will be the best our customers have known for many, many years."
But she also warned plans to upgrade the Metro's outdated signalling system were also vital to the network's future. "We need to replace this signalling system by 2030 to avoid being in the same situation that we've been in with the fleet where it was allowed to get so old it really affected our reliability."
Alistair Ford, of the North East Public Transport Users Group, said the Metro still needed to rebuild the confidence of travellers unhappy with cancellations and delays, caused in part by older, more unreliable trains. "The system really wasn't something that people could rely on to get to work on time, to get to school, to get to hospital appointments," he said. "So the new trains we hope will really start to bring back that reliability." But he said the new trains had been a "great development for passengers".
"They're much smoother, they're much more efficient and much more accessible for wheelchair users and people with luggage and bikes."
| Re: Total journey connections - what if they miss outside the national rail network? In "Smoke and Mirrors" [369735/31104/3] Posted by Mark A at 17:13, 18th December 2025 | |
Travelling on Crosscountry some time ago en route to Long Preston, disruption meant that the northbound service was terminated at Derby: onward connections weren't good. Eventually arriving at Skipton after the last train for Long Preston was long gone, I first walked to a friend's house to see if they were there and could put me up: they were away, so, returning to the (staffed) station, by which time it was around eleven pm and explaining the issue, they sorted me a taxi as a matter of course.
Also, travelling on Crosscountry again, this time heading for Loughborough, and encountering delays of around two hours before eventually reaching Leicester and facing further disruption on the last leg to Loughborough, on request, station staff at Leicester sorted me a taxi at the railway's expense to... Leicester North, for a GCR train to Loughborough.
At the end of the 'Taxi' leg, the taxi driver needed talking in to the GCR station, which he approached with trepidation as the access road wasn't quite tidy, and then at the top "Wow, despite being a taxi driver I never knew there was a station up here!'
Mark
| Re: Temple Meads station approach road In "Bristol (WECA) Commuters" [369734/31280/21] Posted by johnneyw at 15:56, 18th December 2025 | |
This presumably means that intentions for terminating platforms in the former train shed have been parked.
Yes, ditched many moons ago now.
Which leaves me wondering what is now on the cards for the signal box once all it's original functions have been transferred elsewhere (has that been done yet?).
| Re: North Cotswold line delays and cancellations - 2025 In "London to the Cotswolds" [369733/29711/14] Posted by charles_uk at 15:37, 18th December 2025 | |
17:05 Didcot Parkway to Evesham due 18:24 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
18:51 Evesham to Oxford due 19:50 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
This is due to a fault on this train.
18:51 Evesham to Oxford due 19:50 will be cancelled.
This is due to a fault on this train.
| “Neither Place Is Worth Visiting”: Government Defence ... project cancellation In "The Wider Picture Overseas" [369732/31287/52] Posted by grahame at 15:10, 18th December 2025 Already liked by Mark A | |
From Waterford Whisperer News
DEFENDING their decision to erase plans for the re-opening of the Wexford-Waterford train line, the government confirmed that residents of the neighbouring counties can’t be that surprised.
“C’mon, look out your windows… it’s hardly a shock it hasn’t appeared in our new spending plans. Pumping all that money into a train line for what? To subject people to views of Fannystown? We’d open ourselves up to compensation claims for mental torture,” confirmed the Minister For Announcements On Big Projects That Are Later Cancelled.
“While the GDP of the country as a whole has increased by about 40% in the last five years, the South East’s hasn’t increased at all, which begs the question why you’d think we’d bother investing in a silly Choo Choo let alone the region as a whole? When you start making the effort we’ll throw you some money,” added a government spokesperson.
“C’mon, look out your windows… it’s hardly a shock it hasn’t appeared in our new spending plans. Pumping all that money into a train line for what? To subject people to views of Fannystown? We’d open ourselves up to compensation claims for mental torture,” confirmed the Minister For Announcements On Big Projects That Are Later Cancelled.
“While the GDP of the country as a whole has increased by about 40% in the last five years, the South East’s hasn’t increased at all, which begs the question why you’d think we’d bother investing in a silly Choo Choo let alone the region as a whole? When you start making the effort we’ll throw you some money,” added a government spokesperson.
| Re: Total journey connections - what if they miss outside the national rail network? In "Smoke and Mirrors" [369731/31104/3] Posted by grahame at 15:01, 18th December 2025 | |
I wonder if the TOC would be willing to provide a taxi if the last bus is missed on a through ticket. Or indeed if the bus misses a last train. If we're serious about integrated public transport this ought to be considered!
Interestingly, with the current cancellation I have just logged, I read:
Don't worry if you're already travelling when disruption happens, we'll get you where you need to go. If you miss the last train of the day due to cancellation or because another train was delayed, we wont leave you stranded
Which tells me that if (on next year's Interrail trip) I get delayed into London, miss my Eurostar and am unable to reach Prague that night, they won't leave me stranded in Dresden.
| Re: Swindon <-> Westbury service updates and amendments, ongoing discussion - 2025 In "TransWilts line" [369730/29726/18] Posted by grahame at 14:53, 18th December 2025 | |
16:23 Westbury to Swindon due 17:06
17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:19
17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:19 will be cancelled.
This is due to heavy rain flooding the railway.
17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:19
17:35 Swindon to Westbury due 18:19 will be cancelled.
This is due to heavy rain flooding the railway.
| Re: What is happening at Dilton Marsh? Key service reduction! In "Portsmouth to Cardiff" [369729/31284/20] Posted by grahame at 14:48, 18th December 2025 Already liked by Mark A | |
I am sure you have worked this out but:
the service WMN to BRI still runs but the first portion WMN-WSB is ecs and runs earlier to then lay over in Pl 2. My guess would be something to do with crewing and end of shifts etc.
the service WMN to BRI still runs but the first portion WMN-WSB is ecs and runs earlier to then lay over in Pl 2. My guess would be something to do with crewing and end of shifts etc.
Indeed ... hoping to go beyond guesses. Layover is 13 minutes in Westbury. I have asked the GWR managers if they can assist us in letting us know why the service was withdrawn from passenger use, how customers were asked and told, and what alternatives they suggest people use. I will follow up here to let members know the answers.
| Re: What is happening at Dilton Marsh? Key service reduction! In "Portsmouth to Cardiff" [369728/31284/20] Posted by WSW Frome at 14:36, 18th December 2025 | |
I am sure you have worked this out but:
the service WMN to BRI still runs but the first portion WMN-WSB is ecs and runs earlier to then lay over in Pl 2. My guess would be something to do with crewing and end of shifts etc.
| Re: 175s to GWR In "Across the West" [369727/28982/26] Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 14:19, 18th December 2025 | |
A couple of recent posts here have indeed been split off, moved and merged with our ongoing Portishead reopening topic.
See https://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=231.msg369669#msg369669
| Re: OOO - Odd One Out - which, and why? AQ18/25 In "The Lighter Side" [369726/31281/30] Posted by brooklea at 13:31, 18th December 2025 Already liked by grahame, PrestburyRoad, froome | |
4. Barry
The other three have a ‘Bridge’.
| Re: Temple Meads station approach road In "Bristol (WECA) Commuters" [369725/31280/21] Posted by Mark A at 13:12, 18th December 2025 | |
***snip***
Does anyone have a link to an overall map of this please?
Mark
Does anyone have a link to an overall map of this please?
Mark
Ah, this has helped. I think. Though the page doesn't seem to allow deep linking in to the 'Bristol Temple Meads, City Gateway and Friary North: masterplan proposals'.
https://www.bristol.gov.uk/ask/projects/temple-quarter/temple-meads
But it's that section that has the explanatory sentence: A dispersed approach to transport is proposed.
An issue might be that many changes between bus and train are going to be an even bigger hike than they are at present. But this might be mitigated in that there will be surprising new routes to walk between various nodes. Signage is going to be a thing, isn't it (and it's going to be key...)
Mark
| Comparing my local (GWR run) station with stations in other regions In "TransWilts line" [369724/31285/18] Posted by grahame at 12:53, 18th December 2025 Already liked by Mark A | |
I have - always - been an pragmatic advocate and user of public transport. By which I mean using it where appropriate and available, but accepting that it's not always available or practical.
Which leads me to question things like "what is available", "how good is it for the customers" - both in comparisons across the UK, and what we should expect. Of particular recent concern has been the reliability of our train service at Melksham, with cancellation rates reaching double figure percentages - five times worse than the target "worst case" under franchising. Is it like this all over the UK, or are we being shabbily treated?
I was born in Merseyside and my nearest station and first railway memories were of Ainsdale. Our family moved to North West Kent just before I started school, and I have many memories of travelling by train to school and then to Uni and to temporary jobs by train from Petts Wood. After Uni, I moved to take a permament job in Harpenden, and although I didn't commute from there, I did use the train for work and leisure travel. And more than half a lifetime ago, I moved to Wiltshire.
I have taken Ainsdale, Petts Wood, Harpenden and Melksham stations and used onTimeTrains to compare the four very different regions.
Populations (estimated station catchment) Ainsdale - 13,000; Petts Wood - 18,000; Melksham - 26,000; Harpenden - 31,000 - However, Melksham only has a fraction of the timetabled services, which means that every cancellation hurts. On the other had, we laugh off a ten minute delay in Melksham but at Petts Wood we would have already switched (I used to do this!) from the Charing Cross train to the Victoria train ... to get to my temporary job in Whitehall.
First image - last four weekends, ranked by the ontimetrains measure of reliability and cancellations. We noted a couple of good weekends after a "crisis" meeting with GWR but - oh dear - they have slipped back and are significantly worse, again, that the other stations elsewhere in England.
Second image - all days of the week, back to nearly the start of the year. I have blanked out January because the train service at Melksham was virtually non-existant due to the month long closure of Westbury which makes the figures at onetimetrains statistically insignificant. The scale on this second diagram are absolute scales and not relative ones - so everyone should be close together near the top of the scale.
| Re: Temple Meads station approach road In "Bristol (WECA) Commuters" [369723/31280/21] Posted by IndustryInsider at 12:52, 18th December 2025 Already liked by Mark A | |
This presumably means that intentions for terminating platforms in the former train shed have been parked.
Yes, ditched many moons ago now.
| Re: Temple Meads station approach road In "Bristol (WECA) Commuters" [369722/31280/21] Posted by Mark A at 12:39, 18th December 2025 | |
This presumably means that intentions for terminating platforms in the former train shed have been parked.
Thinking of parking, is it known what the plans mean for the train shed car park?
Does anyone have a link to an overall map of this please?
Mark
| Re: OOO - Odd One Out - which, and why? AQ18/25 In "The Lighter Side" [369721/31281/30] Posted by grahame at 12:01, 18th December 2025 | |
7. Severn Tunnel Junction
All the others are request stops
All the others are request stops
Darn it, you are right. One of the others is also an odd one out for a different reason.
9 - Sheephill
The others were the locations of engine sheds.
The others were the locations of engine sheds.
Yep - Hull, Glasgow and Brighton
| Re: OOO - Odd One Out - which, and why? AQ18/25 In "The Lighter Side" [369720/31281/30] Posted by TonyN at 11:56, 18th December 2025 | |
7. Severn Tunnel Junction
All the others are request stops
| Re: 150s In "Shorter journeys in Devon - Central, North and South" [369719/31080/24] Posted by Oxonhutch at 11:49, 18th December 2025 Already liked by grahame | |
Three hours from Bletchley to Didcot - isn't there a shorter and quicker route?
You mean the one via Oxford?
| What is happening at Dilton Marsh? Key service reduction! In "Portsmouth to Cardiff" [369718/31284/20] Posted by grahame at 11:08, 18th December 2025 | |
In the new timetable that started this Monday, there's no longer an 18:30-ish train to Bristol - a well used service ("it always stops" - local report) but rather a gap from about half past five until twenty to eight.
This means the people who live in Westbury Leigh and Dilton Marsh can no longer easily attend some evening meetings / events in Trowbridge, Bradford-on-Avon and Bath. It means that people returning home from Southampton (at 17:15) or Salisbury (at 17:45) to Westbury Leigh and Dilton Marsh no longer have a connection at Warminster, but rather don't arrive home until over an hour later.
I saw nothing in any of the online or other briefings to reflect this change, I saw and heard of no consultation, and I have seen no explanation nor customer alternative offered. At a West Wiltshire Rail User Group committee lunch yesterday, it seems the cutting out of this train has come as a surprise to the users of Dilton Marsh Station too.
Before throwing a "wobbly" - either from myself or others - does anyone here know of a explanation for what appears to be the culling of a popular train without any process of asking, informing, or perhaps thinking of the customers?
| Re: North Cotswold line delays and cancellations - 2025 In "London to the Cotswolds" [369717/29711/14] Posted by charles_uk at 10:58, 18th December 2025 | |
More short-forms today.
JourneyCheck is showing the 11:52 London Paddington to Hereford, 15:18 Hereford to London Paddington and 18:57 London Paddington to Great Malvern services as five car short-forms.
Not on mentioned on JourneyCheck but showing on RTT is that the 19:53 Paddington to Hereford train will again be five cars (802015) so expect tomorrow's 05:23 Hereford to Paddington service to be short-formed yet again.
(edit to add)
and also tonight's 17:34 Paddington to Hereford is a five car short-form (800008), again not mentioned on JourneyCheck
| Re: Temple Meads station approach road In "Bristol (WECA) Commuters" [369716/31280/21] Posted by Red Squirrel at 10:57, 18th December 2025 Already liked by grahame, froome | |
There are well-develped plans to improve access to Temple Meads.
The main car park will be at the new Southern Entrance, accessed via a new walkway across the New Cut starting near the old Cattle Dock and Platform 2. This will also have a pick up/drop off facility for people coming by car. This entrance has received planning approval.
Buses will access the station via Friary and the new Northern Entrance. There has been some resistance to this from bus operators as the planned highway design is too restrictive, but this will hopefully be improved. Terminators such as the 8, 70, 71, and 72 will very likely stop here.
The Western Entrance - what we currently think of as the Main Entrance, despite the fact that most people use the (currently rather modest) Northern Entrance - will be for taxis.
The Eastern Entrance will be mainly pedestrian, though there has been talk of buses serving it. The how, why and who of this does not seem to have been fully explored. This entrance is complete but will not be opened until the Bristol University buildings open.
| Re: 150s In "Shorter journeys in Devon - Central, North and South" [369715/31080/24] Posted by grahame at 10:37, 18th December 2025 Already liked by John D | |
Looks like a 150 is returning from Wolverton on Saturday
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K49382/2025-12-20/detailed
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K49382/2025-12-20/detailed
Three hours from Bletchley to Didcot - isn't there a shorter and quicker route?
| Re: OOO - Odd One Out - which, and why? AQ18/25 In "The Lighter Side" [369714/31281/30] Posted by Merthyr Imp at 10:35, 18th December 2025 Already liked by grahame | |
9 - Sheephill
The others were the locations of engine sheds.
| Re: 150s In "Shorter journeys in Devon - Central, North and South" [369713/31080/24] Posted by John D at 10:27, 18th December 2025 | |
Looks like a 150 is returning from Wolverton on Saturday
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:K49382/2025-12-20/detailed
| Re: OOO - Odd One Out - which, and why? AQ18/25 In "The Lighter Side" [369712/31281/30] Posted by grahame at 09:57, 18th December 2025 | |
1, Westbury - has no platform 0 (yet)
Yes - that's what I had as my planned answer. Yet
3 - Liverpool Lime Street - not served by Cross Country trains?
An excellent answer - correct, though not the one I had in mind!
10 - Shipley. The only town of those four which didn't previously have two stations.
Oh yes - hadn't notices that - correct, but again not the answer I had in mind
Think I know 4 as well but will wait my turn tomorrow.
Please feel free to personal message me though ... happy to answer in private.
